Bear with us, we're learning. Not so much about rum, but about video lighting and framing. Once upon a time, I did a rum podcast. When a friend recently gifted us a rum advent calendar (of sorts), we decided to turn tasting it into a series of videos. First up: Mount Gay XO Reserve ..read more

Undead, undead, undead ..read more

One of my oldest friends has just published a book - The Lives of Lowbrow Artists: Volume 1. Just as it says on the tin, it’s made up of profiles of Lowbrow artists, focusing in Volume 1 on some such artists who have made a significant impression on both Fritz Costa, the author, and many of us who are in orbit around mid-century, polynesian pop, “tiki”, hot rod, and other “lowbrow” art aesthetics. The book is available now on Amazon Kindle. Volume 1 has chapters on Josh Agle (Shag), Tim Biskup, Miles Thompson, Derek Yaniger (who also did the cover art you see here), and Brandi Milne. I can alm ..read more

Every batch of homemade falernum (almost always falernum #9) is validated via a Corn and Oil. Don’t accept any Corn and Oil recipe that calls for blackstrap rum - they’re reading too much into the word “oil”. This is a Barbados cocktail, and should be assembled accordingly. Corn And Oil (Smuggler’s Cove version) 1/2 oz falernum - homemade here, but the SC recipe calls for Taylor’s Velvet Falernum 2 oz blended, aged Barbados rum (Planation 5 in this case) 2 - 4 dashes of Angostura bitters (4) Add everything to an old-fashioned glass and add crushed ice to almost fill. Stir/swizzle until frosty ..read more

This weekend is the plan ..read more

Here’s an atypical Fez Friday. But atypical is now typical. This week has been a crash course in masks. As in, get used to wearing one. So I’m trying to acclimate to wearing one outside. It helps to have a seamstress making your mask using pretty stylish fabric. Anyway, grab a mask. What we do now will directly influence the future ..read more

I don’t get out much these days, but when I do, I sport a cotton face mask bearing tikis. Sewn and sold on tikival’s Etsy site. Of course I’m married to the shop owner so my masks are free, but you too can sport one for $15 with free priority shipping in the US. $5 from each sale goes into the Tonga Hut North Hollywood virtual tip jar ..read more

A new ebook to help bartenders displaced due to the COVID-19 pandemic (and bar closures). 20 original cocktails and 20 original mocktail recipes as a digital artifact. Order one here. Hat tip to BG Reynolds for the link. Do I know Tiki Lindy? No. But I do know that hospitality is getting hit hard by this pandemic. Happy to help ..read more

Maybe later today ..read more

I’m calling this one out specifically because these are friends of mine, and this is our home bar. If you have patronized the Hut and can spare a few dollars, please consider kicking in. I know a lot of people aren’t in a position to help. You’ve already been impacted by this pandemic, no worries. If you can’t contribute monetarily, please raise a glass and wish the Tonga Hut well. It’s been there for us since 1958 and we want it to remain in place for a long long time. Guest bartending in simpler times ..read more